Scenes from a Maryland Yard: shade

Monday, May 30, 2016

Where do baby hellebores come from?

Click on this photo to see the tiny black seeds inside the leaves

For years I'd heard how hellebores drop their seeds when the flowers wither at the end of season and that, underneath, at the beginning of the next season, one would find baby hellebores. I looked every year and found nothing.

Meanwhile, every year I also weeded this mysterious small plant that was in my garden. There would be dozens of it in random spots.

It wasn't until I went to a garden club sale recently that I finally realized that what I thought was a weed was actually baby hellebores. I don't know how many I have murdered over the years. Apparently its seeds fly off everywhere and don't stay just under the plants. Sometimes they grow randomly and sometimes in clusters.

Happily I now have groupings of baby hellebores that will now live and, hopefully, thrive.

Info on hellebores: http://gardening.about.com/od/plantprofile1/p/Hellebore_Pro.htm

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Deer-proof spring plants: Decoratives

I went around my yard this week and took photos of decorative flowers and plants that the deer haven't touched. (I'll do shrubs and then edibles in separate posts).

I have seven deer that come through my yard once or twice a day and, while they will surely chow down on the hosta that has recently arisen from the ground, they have never touched any of these plants. (I can't make the same assurance at the height of winter, when the deer can get a little desperate).

Note: Most of the plants grow well in shade since most parts of my yard are in partial to full shade.